Game



March 31, 1959 Filed July 26, 1957 B. ROSENZWEIG GAME 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 31, 1959 B. ROSENZWEIG GAME 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 26, 1957 INVENTOR. Bemwrd lPose/zzwe/g ATT United s, Patent GANIE Bernard Rosenzweig, Yellow Springs, Ohio Application July 26, 1957, Serial No. 674,321

Claims. (Cl. 273-136) 5 This invention relates to a game in the nature of conventional ticktacktoe and including as a part thereof a polyhedrical structure formed to present a plurality of playing surfaces disposed in three planes in a manner to require three-dimensional perception on the part of the players in order to master, the various games or sets of rules that may be devised by the manufacturer or otherwise.

It is the most important objectof the present invention to provide a game of the aforementioned character that has educational value because of the way in which the playing thereof will develop three-dimensional sense.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a game that requires skill as distinguished from chance and which is intellectually stimulating and capable of affording fun and interest for the players.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a game in the nature of ticktacktoe but differing therefrom in that the player must consider his moves from top to bottom, side to side, and front to back rather than merely in a two-dimensional sense as in the case of most games of such nature. A still further object of the present invention is to provide a novel game that includes in addition to the structure hereinabove mentioned, a plurality of pegs or playing pieces inserted into holes of the various panels or otherwise removably attached thereto during the course of the game.

In the drawings:

' .,Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a game made pursuant to the present invention showing two of the three doors thereof open and the partition means entirely removed from the central compartment.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view:of said partition structure. Fig.3 is a plan view of the game, parts being broken away for clearness.

Fig. 4 is a rear elevational view of the complete game assembly. I

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on line VV of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on line VIVI of Fig. 4.

is subdivided into nine squares 24 of equal size by two pairs of intersecting score lines 26 and each square 24 is in turn provided with a hole 28 that is preferably centrally disposed therein for receiving a tapered peg 30.

Accordingly, the height, width and length of the compartment 22 is equivalent to the length of a pair of squares 24. In other words, all six walls overhang or extend beyond the compartment 22. Wall 16 abuts the wall 12 and extends outwardly beyond the wall 10. Wall 12 abuts the wall 14 and extends outwardly beyond the wall 16. Wall 14 abuts the wall 10 and ex, tends outwardly beyond the wall 12, and the wall 10 abuts the wall 16 and extends outwardly beyond the wall 14.

Thus, wall 10 is ofiset relative to wall 12 and wall 14 is offset relative to wall 16. In the same manner the top wall 18 rests upon the uppermost edges of the walls 10, 12, 14 and 16, is fiush'with the walls 10 and 14, and extends outwardly beyond the outer faces of walls 12 and 16. The bottom wall 20 on the other hand extends outwardly beyond the walls 10 and 14 and abuts the walls 12 and 16. Consequently, the compartment 22 is bounded by four squares 24 of each of the six walls and each of the walls 10, 12, 14 and 16 has three of its squares extending beyond the compartment 22. The top wall 18 and the bottom wall 20 each have fivesquares 24 extending beyond the compartment 22.

Compartment 22 normally receives the insertshown in Fig. 2 of the drawings which includes a horizontal partition 32 that is held centered between and in parallel relationship to the walls 18 and 20 by a plurality of upstanding legs 34 and a like number of legs 36 which depend from the partition 32. The legs 34 and 36 are all relatively perpendicular and, of course, in normal relationship to the proximal faces of the partition 32.

Partition 32 is subdivided into four squares 38 by the legs 34 and 36 and each of such squares 38 is provided with a peg-receiving opening 40. Additionally, there is provided a pair of peg-receiving openings 42 within the partition 32 adjacent the center thereof. Partition 32 presents therefore, a particular ticktacktoe fig? ure not entirely unlike the figure presented on each of the walls shown in Fig. 1. Still further, each ofthe legs 34 is provided with a peg-receiving hole 44.

When the structure shown in Fig. 2 is within the'compartment 22, as best seen in Fig. 3, the holes 40 align with corresponding holes 28 in the top wall 18 and in the bottom wall 20. Similarly, the holes 44 align with corresponding holes 28 in the front wall 10, the rear wall 12, the side wall 14 and the side wall 16, as the case 7, may be.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged, fragmentary, detailed, crosssectional view showing oneof the pegs or playing pieces insertedin one of the holes; and

Figs. 8 and 9 are diagrammatical perspective views showing two possible ways in which the pegs may be arrangedto win the game.

. The polyhedrical structure illustrated in the drawing is formed from a plurality of transparent walls that are identical in size and of square configuration. There is included therefore, a front wall 10, a rear wall 12, a side wall 14, a side wall 16, a top wall 13 and a bottom wall 20.

' It is to be noted at the outset that bottom wall 20 intersects the front wall 10 and the side wall 14. All of the aforementioned wallsare interconnected to pre- The removable structure shown in Fig. 2 is rendered accessible by virtue of the provision of a pluralityof doors. Wall 12 is provided with a door 46 swingably mounted in place by hinges 48, the wall 14 has a door 50 swingably mounted by hinges 52, and the wall 18 is provided with a door 54 having hinges 56.

The structure shown in Fig. 2 is likewise preferably made in its entirety from transparent material and, therefore, all of the peg-receiving holes may be seen by the players and as the pegs 30 are inserted into place in the manner illustrated by Fig. 7, the pegs 30 of each player may be studied as the game progresses. Pegs 30 may be inserted in the holes 40, 42 and 44 by opening any one or more of the doors 46, 50 and 54 and/or removing the partition 32 from the compartment 22 and reinsert ing the same.

sent a hollow cubical chamber 22. Each of the walls Manifestly, the simplest game that may be played through use of the structure above described is the conventional ticktacktoe game utilizing but one of the walls or panels 10, 12, 14, 16 or 18, preferably the latter.

However, it is contemplated that the structure be used to play more complicated games which perfect the skill of the player-and provide-necessary education in -visualizing three-dimensional effects. It is suggested, therefore, that in order to win one of the more complicated games, each player be required to align'five or'six-of-his pegs in two'groups, three and two or-three and three, as in figures 30a, 30b, 30c, and 30g, 30h, 30 ,and-in two planes; each of the series (a series comprised by three pegs, in the three and three series; two and three in the two and three series) and'planes being perpendicular. Thefewest pegs which can be used for a win is five, the maximum being six.

Hence, as shown in Fig. 8, three pegs are aligned in the top-wall '18 and although the two pegs shown in Fig.8 within the partition 32 and the bottom wall 20 respectively, are not vertically aligned one above the other, nevertheless, looking'at the game from the front face thereof, pegs 30a, 30b and 300 are verticallyaligned and, therefore, by virtue of such double alignment horizontally and vertically, it might be considered that the player has won the game. In this respect it is to be understood that the players insert their pegs 30 alternately in the conventional ticktacktoe game and that each player of course, attempts to make moves that will block his opponent and, therefore, prevent arriving at an arrangement which will win the game. It is seen that in the arrangement shown in Fig. 8, the peg 30a serves two purposes, i.e., in establishing the horizontal row, aswell as the row of pegs 30a, 30b and 30c disposed in a common vertical plane.

It is not necessary however, in one suggested form of game which may be played through use of the instant invention, that the two planes of three pegs each be in intersecting relationship. Consequently, as shown in Fig. 9, it is seen that pegs 30d, 30c and 30f, are horizontallyaligned in thetop panel 18 in the same manner asin Fig. 8. Additionally, pegs 30g, 30h and 30 are each disposed in the same square of panels 18, 32 and 20-respectively. In other'words, peg 30g is in one rearmost square 24 of panel 18, peg SM is in the same rearmost square 38 of partition 32, and peg 30 is in the same rearmost square 24 of the bottom panel 20.

It is,'of course, to be understood that Figs. 8 and 9 merely exemplify certain of the multitude of arrangements that are possible in the construction forming the subject matter of the invention, and that the three-dimensional construction lends itself to formulation of a rather large number of games and corresponding rules to suit the desires of the manufacturer and/or the players or users of the device.

'To this end, it is to be noted that certain or all of the squares 24, 38, as well as 34, may be numbered or lettered with certain indicia as illustrated, to the end that the game might be played in conjunction with pencil and paper, keeping score or otherwise recording the moves of the players. It is of course, advisable that the pegs 30 of each player besuitably identified by differing colors or in'other suitable manners.

' 'The game may be more complicated and interesting for example, by restrictingthe use of'the center holes 41?. off-partition 32 and one or more of the pegs.30 may have a different color whereby suchpeg shall have .its 'own-. significance 1and operate either as a rewardor as. a

deterrentor block to the player as the game progresses. 'The arrangement of the games and rules therefor, the sequence of operation and otherfactors, all of'which maybe varied, are numerous and, therefore, need not be outlined in view of the clarity of the precise construction of the,game as above described and illustrated in the drawings. Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be securedby Letters Patent is:

l. Afgame comprising a polyhedrical structure having a front wall, a back wall, a top wall,"a bottom wall and a pair of side walls, all of equal size and of square con- -figuration, and all interconnected to present a hollow,

cubical compartment, the front and back wall, the top and bottom wall and the two side walls each being in parallel relationship respectively and mutually offset, the width, the height and the length of said compartment each being less than the length or width of any of said walls, one side wall abutting the back wall, the other side wall abutting the front wall, the back wall abutting said other side wall and the front wall abutting said one side wall,'the bottom wall intersecting the front wall and said other side wall, one-third of the length and width of'each wall projectingoutwardlybeyond the compartment, each wallbeing checkered to present a ticktacktoe figure having nine square spaces of equal size, and each wall having a peg-receiving hole in each space respectively; a removable partition in the compartment; a plurality of upwardly and downwardly extending legs on-the partition for holding the latter centered between and parallel to the'top and bottom walls; and a door in at least one of the walls for rendering the partition accessible, each leg havinga peg-receiving hole and the partition having a numberof peg-receiving holes, the walls, the partition and the legsall'being transparent.

2. A game comprising a polyhedrical structure having opposed, horizontally spaced, parallel front and back walls, opposed, parallel, vertically spaced top and bottom walls, and a pair of opposed, parallel, horizontally spaced sidewalls, all of substantially equal size and configuration, and all interconnected to present a hollow cubical compartment, the top wall being vertically offset relative to the bottom wall on two sides of the compartment, the front wall being horizontally offset relative to theback wall on two sides of the compartment, and one of the side walls 'being horizontally offset relative to the other sidewall on two sides of the compartment, the front andback walls being horizontally aligned with the top 'and bottom walls respectively in one direction and the side walls being horizontally aligned with the top and bottom-walls respectively in the opposite direction, each wall being checkered to present a ticktacktoe figure having a plurality of spaces, and each wall having a peg-receiving hole in each space respectively.

3. A game as set forth in claim 2 wherein said one side wall abuts the back wall, the other side wall abuts the front wall, the back wall abuts said other side wall and the front wall abuts said one side wall, the bottom wall intersecting the front wall and said other side wall.

4. A game as set forth in claim 3 wherein one-third of the length and width of each wall projects outwardly from said compartment.

'5. A game as set forth in claim 2 wherein is provided a removable partition in the compartment, said partition having a number .of upwardly and downwardly extending legs for holdingthe latter centered between and parallel to the top and bottom walls, and the legs and said partition being provided with peg-receiving holes therein, there being a door in at least one of said walls disposed to provide access to the partition within the compartment.

References"Cited .in .thefile of thispatent UNITED .STATES :PATENTS 

